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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · prune · sharp · rule · vault · pit · fork · root

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pit — a hole
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rule — government
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fork — in a road
  12. cap — a hat
  13. root — of a word
  14. rule — a law
  15. cap — of ice
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — the cause
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pit — a fruit stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com